Angola / 1982 / 70mins / Documentary / Portuguese

A notable example of the Angolan school of historical-political documentaries, through photographs, interviews and reconstructions, Memória de um Dia envokes the massacre by the Portuguese against the populations of Icolo and Bemgo, who were taking part in a peaceful demonstration. The day the title refers to is the day of the tremendous repression against those who were trying to obtain information on the fate of Augustino Neto, imprisoned by the Portuguese political police.

Orlando Fortunato de Oliveira

Orlando Fortunato de Oliveira was born on March 20, 1946 in Benguel, Angola. He is one of the pioneers of Angolan cinema. As a director, his films portray the era of colonialism. Graduate of Catholic University of America in sciences and geophysics, he turned to cinema and released his first film, Um Caso Nosso, in 1978. In 1981, he resumed studies at the London International Film School and made several documentaries. Memória de um Dia (1982) tells the story of the Bengo Icolo massacre, carried out by the Portuguese in 1960. In 1989 he made his first feature film, Comboio da Cañhoca (The Train of Cañhoca), but for geopolitical reasons it was not shown for over fifteen years. In the meantime he made a few documentaries, such as Agostinho Neto (2000), about the first president of Angola. In 2010 he completed Batepá, which is set in Sao Tome e Principe. The film is centered on the local colonial relations: segregation, repression, torture and political killings, which culminated in 1953. Learn More